Wolfe's 5B Documentary To Be Released On DVD On Mar. 10

Wolfe announced this past week that the documentary filmmaking team of Dan Krauss and Oscar-winner Paul Haggis’ (his first non-fiction film) insightful look at the history of the first AIDS care unit, 5B, will be available on DVD on Mar. 10.

The ARR is a leisurely 270 days and the film’s limited arthouse box office take currently stands at $72,968.

5B, made the festival rounds, including the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, had a brief arthouse theatrical in mid-June and then went back out on the festival circuit.   Unless you were near one of the major metro screenings or happened upon one of the festival screenings, 5B is likely an unseen entity for most … Wolfe to the rescue with a DVD push in the New Year.

It is an interesting dynamic — and very effective — teaming a two-time Oscar nominee for his documentary work, Dan Krauss (Extremis, The Life of Kevin Carter) with an Oscar-winning filmmaker for his dramatic storytelling (Oscar winner for his Crash script and as producer of the film, he shared the Oscar with Cathy Schulman for Best Picture).

The film is not a deep dive into the early days of the first AIDS ward in the United States — Ward 5B (hence the title) at San Francisco General Hospital — but a look back down the long corridor of time.   The early days are presented in quick order and then the film shifts to the present day and a series of decisive interviews with those who live through the hellish days when there was no cure; no treatment, just compassion as people came to die.

Among those who talk about their experiences is Cliff Morrison, a nurse on Ward 5B, who saw the need and convinced others at San Francisco General to open a kind and welcoming place for victims of the disease to find a safe harbor.   Others sharing their memories are fellow nurse Alison Moed and singer Rita Rockett who raised money for the suffering and for her efforts was vilified.

Wolfe’s 5B DVD release on Mar. 10 is well-worth a viewing.   A reminder that a “Gay Disease” became a viral pandemic that touched all segments of society … so much time was lost and wasted by stigmatizing HIV and not looking for ways to fight it.

Bayview Entertainment Tabs Feb. 4 For The DVD Debut Of Moscow Days, L.A. Nights

Bayview Entertainment will be bringing the feature film version of actor/director Rodion Nahapetov’s Moscow Days, L.A. Nights, co-starring Sean Young and Nahapetov, to the DVD arena on Feb. 4.

The film started off as a 12-part Russian television series, even winning awards, but access to the domestic market, by its very nature, would have been limited.   So, Nahapetov did the only reasonable thing and cut the ten hours worth of episodic action, suspense and mystery into a tightly-woven feature film.

We are introduced to Moscow police detective Andrei Somov (Nahapetov), who has an American wife, Rachel (Sean Young — Blade Runner, No Way Out), who is a bit sketchy in her day to day affairs in Moscow, so she decides to head back to Los Angeles.   Andrei will follow, but not before his best friend ends up dead and the chief of police is murdered.

Once in Los Angeles, Andrei tries to obtain a position with the Los Angeles police department, but to no avail.   Odd jobs to make ends meet follow … it is those odd jobs (often turning into crimes involving Russian ex-pats) and the continuing mystery with his wife that frame the story of Moscow Days, L.A. Nights.

Vinegar Syndrome Announces Its Jan. 28 Blu-ray Release Slate

Vinegar Syndrome will open the New Year with a five-strong slate of new film restorations that will be available for film fans to savor on Jan. 28.

Topping the list — and certainly that is always a subjective evaluation — is director James Martin’s 1988 direct-to-video suburbia chomp-fest, Flesh-Eating Mother.   A viral infection turns philandering housewives into cannibals … so lock up your children, it could get ugly!!

This new 2K film restoration features commentary from filmmaker James Martin (I was a Teenage Zombie), who is joined by film historian and author Michael Gingold (former editor of Fangoria Magazine), plus there are a pair of featurettes — “Blood and Laughs” and “Hungry to Make Movies.”

Also getting a new 2K film restoration — from the original 35mm camera negative — is John N. Carter’s haunted house thriller (without a house), Zombie Island Massacre.   You go on vacation in the Caribbean, take a side tour to a remote island, and presto, you’re stuck in the jungle and picked off one by one … by one!   No zombies, but maybe that’s just the name of the island and not a massacre on an island by zombies (it does have a twist).

Rounding out the selection of new Blu-ray/DVD Combo Packs from Vinegar Syndrome on Jan. 28 are three classic adult selections, two of which are double-features.   Adult filmmaker Bob Chinn gets 2K restorations for his Hard Soap, Hard Soap (1977) and Disco Lady (1978), which features the film debut of Rhonda Jo Petty.

The other adult double-bill is director Edwin Brown’s (aka: Stephen Lucas; aka: Edwin Durell) A Thousand and One Erotic Nights (1982) and the 1986 follow-up, A Thousand and One Erotic Nights, Part II.   Both were shot on 35mm film.

And last, but certainly not least (also shot on 35mm with a new 2K restoration), is the adorable Hillary Summers (Silky, Hot Dallas Nights, Urban Cowgirls) starring in director Roberta Findlay’s 1980 film release of Justine (aka: Justine: A Matter of Innocence).   Bonus features here include a newly-prepared commentary with filmmaker Roberta Findlay (Glitter, Liquid A$$ets, Teenage Milkmaid).

Nozomi Entertainment's A.D. Police: To Protect And Serve On Blu-ray On Feb. 4

Nozomi Entertainment, with sales and distribution support provided by Bayview Entertainment, has tabbed Feb. 4 for the Blu-ray release of director Hidehito Ueda’s A.D. Police: To Protect and Serve.

All 12 episodes in this anime series about the treacherous Packer Syndicate and their crime-robots, the Boomers, are included here.    Standing against the Syndicate is Kenji Sasaki (voiced by Randy Sparks) and Hans Kleif (voiced by Jason Douglas).

Features include clean openings and closings and two image galleries.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Looks To Feb. 4 For The Home Entertainment Release Of Director Mike Flanagan's Doctor Sleep

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has selected Feb. 4 for the release of a three-SKU helping of director Mike Flanagan’s film adaptation of the Stephen King’s 2013 novel, Doctor Sleep, a sequel to the The Shining.

The ARR is a quick-to-market 88 days and box office revenues came in at $31.4 million.

Planned for distribution are Combo Pack editions for both the 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray) and Blu-ray (with DVD) formats, plus a stand-alone DVD presentation.

The big bonus nugget here is a director’s cut of the film, which clocks in at 152 minutes.

Other bonus goodies, which are limited to the Combo Packs, are three featurettes — “Return to the Overlook,” “The Making of Doctor Sleep: A New Vision” and “From Shining to Sleep.”

The Criterion Collection Announces Its March Of 2020 Film Restoration Calendar

The Criterion Collection announced its March of 2020 slate of new film restorations being released as both Blu-ray and DVD product offerings during the course of the month.

At the front of the pack is the Mar. 24 2K film restoration of director John M. Stahl’s 1946 film noir (ish) adaptation of the Ben Ames Williams’ 1944 novel, Leave Her to Heaven.   It is difficult to fully embrace the film noir aspects when the film is in Technicolor and there’s a happy ending (20^th Century-Fox was “warned” on several times by the Production Code Administration to be careful with the film adaptation of Williams’ novel).

This carping aside, Leave Her to Heaven, starring Gene Tierney as the manipulative Ellen received her only Best Actress nomination … yes, her only Oscar nomination, which is shame when you consider her performances in such films as Laura, The Shanghai Gesture, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Whirlpool … seriously, only one nomination.   She almost didn’t get the role, as both Ida Lupino and Tallulah Bankhead were mentioned in the trades at the time as being considered.

The film is told in flashback as Richard (Cornel Wilde) is released from prison after spending the last two years of his life there.   During the course of the movie we will come to learn of his relationship with Ellen, with her sister, Ruth (Jeanne Crain) and just how twisted and manipulative Ellen becomes in controlling Richard … even to the point of murder and a frame-up so sinister that it is both breathtaking and appalling in equal measures.

There is only one bonus nugget here, a newly prepared video session with film critic Imogen Sara Smith (author of: “In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City”).

Also on the March 2020 release calendar from Criterion are: Salesman (Mar. 10); Spike Lee’s Bamboozled (a new 2K restoration on Mar. 17 … with commentary); The Cranes are Flying (in Russian, Mar. 24 … with vintage commentary from director Mikhail Kalatozov) and arriving on Mar. 31 are both The Prince of Tides (directed by and starring Barbra Streisand) and director James Whale’s 1936 film adaptation of the Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein musical, Show Boat.

For the period ending December 13, 2019 ... New DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD selections added to the DVD & Blu-ray Release Report's database

 

DVD New Additions

 

Alpha Video (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Adventures of Sir Lancelot, Volume 6, Coming Attractions: Classic Horror & Sci-Fi, Dream Street (silent-1921), I Led 3 Lives, Volume 3, Indie Horror Double Feature (2 film set: Dead Kansas, An Hour to Kill), Michael Shayne, Volume 3, Mr. Lobo's Cinema Insomnia: Carnival of Souls, Mr. Lobo's Cinema Insomnia: Night of the Living Dead,  Non-Stop Flight (silent-1926), Safety Last (silent-1923), Smouldering Fires (silent-1925) and Spaghetti Western Double Feature (2 film set: Twice a Judas, Savage Guns)

Bayview Entertainment

01/21/20 — Sets Dead Man's Cards, Death & Texas, Learning To Breathe, Leave, Limb Salesman, Lost Dogs and Magic Boys

01/28/20 — Sets Bloodz Vs Wolvez, Desert Son, Dia Naranja (Spanish), Divorce Invitation, Dreams I Never Had, Eavesdrop, Edison and Leo, Fathers and Sons, Ghost City (aka: Hood Copz), Legend of Mulan and Zombiez

Catenary Video Productions

12/10/19 — Released Two Mallets in Niles Canyon

Championship Productions

12/10/19 — Released Implementing a Smothering Full Court Press Defense and Man-to-Man Offensive Concepts: Transition & Effective Actions

DreamScape Media, LLC

12/10/19 — Released Highlights: Honesty and Tough Choices and Narnia's Last Poet

EWTN

12/03/19 — Released @ Home with Jim & Joy: Diana Ruzicka - The support brought to Catholic nurses through the NACN-USA Catholic Nurses Organization, @ Home with Jim & Joy: Jim and Joy Pinto Answer Viewer Calls, Questions, And E-Mails Live From the Pinto House, Called to Communion, EWTN Live: Father Willy Raymond, CSC / discussion of the work of Fr. Patrick Peyton and his devotion to the Rosary,  Life on the Rock: Kevin & Lisa Cotter / Fr. Mark Interviews Kevin & Lisa Cotter At The 2019 Seek Conference Hosted By Focus and World Over with Raymond Navarro: Philip Lawler / Steven Mosher / Ken Jennings

12/10/19 — Released Called to Communion, EWTN Live: Sister Ferial / discussion of her order, Carmel in Bethlehem, sainthood - relics of Saint Mary of Jesus Crucified, Journey Home: Deacon Keith Fournier/ Catholic Revert, Sunday Best: Father Groeschel - Steps of the Spiritual Life: Step 1- The Awakening,  Women of Grace: Rob Kenney, Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle and Fr. Joseph Mary and World Over with Raymond Navarro:  Father Tad Pacholczyk / Kathryn Lopez / Jeni Stepanek Ph.D / Most Rev. Athanasius Schneider

Get Digital World (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released 02 Cent FB Clicks, Affliate Authority, Attraction Mantras, Authority Traffic, Autoresponder Mastery Made Super Simple, Discover the Step-by-Step Systerm to Create Massive Leads From Scratch and Start Generating Insane Profits, Entrepreneurial Success, Facebook Remarket 3.0 Made Easy, FB Cash Formula: How to Earn $300 Per Day With Facebook, How to Craft Compelling Emails that Get Clicks and Sales, Killer Product Launch Formula, List Building Power, Preventing Information Overload for Internet Entrepreneurs For Dummies (2 disc set), Scaling Back, Secrets to Finding Untapped Markets with Ravenously Hungry Buyers Exposed, Simple And Tactful Methods On Writing Emails To Boost Open Rates & Sales and Strategically Create & Design the Life of Your Dreams

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Along Came the Devil 2, Big Fat Lie and Tombs

Greenwich Entertainment

12/10/19 — Released Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (ARR of 95 days; box office: $4,215,005)

Hope of the World (MOD)

12/03/19 — Released I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up

12/10/19 — Released Jubilean Trumpet

I-Cine

12/10/19 — Released Bac Thay Thuong Gia (18 disc set), Dinh Menh (12 disc set), Hien Vien Kiem: Trieu Mo Song Hung (18 disc set), Lat Mat (10 disc set), Luat Su Vo Phap (10 disc set) and Tuong Quan Tai Thuong (18 disc set)

Icarus Films

02/04/20 — Sets Ray & Liz

MVD Entertainment Group

03/17/20 — Sets Style Queens Episode 3: Taylor Swift and Style Queens Episode 4: Jennifer Lopez

Mill Creek Entertainment

03/03/20 — Sets The Warrant

Movie Detective (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Chotard et Cie (French), La Banda Degli Onesti (Italian), La Risaia (Italian), La Terra Prometida (Spanish), Le Ruisseau (French), Seccion Desaparecidos (Spanish) and Tri (Serbo-Crotian)

PCN Productions (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Exploring Pennsylvania Boroughs: Blooming Valley, PA Books: When I was White and PCN Tours: Speckled Hen Chocolates

Pentrex

12/10/19 — Released Big Boy: Greetings from Kansas City, Southwest Big Boy and Steam Rotary Snow Plow OY

Samuel Goldwyn Films

01/14/20 — Sets Cyrano, My Love (ARR of 340 days; box office: $350,319)

Sema Institute (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Egyptian Yoga History: African Origins of Hatha Yoga, Egyptian Yoga: Movements of the Gods and Goddesses, Egyptian Yoga: Postures of the Gods and Goddesses, Level One, Introduction to Egyptian Yoga, Muata Ashby Lecture: The Glorious Light - Meditation System of Ancient Egypt, Resurrecting Osiris: The Path of Mystical Awakening and the Keys to Immortality and Serpent Power: The Ancient Egyptian Mystical Wisdom of the Inner Life Force

The High School Sports Network (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released 2019 AAA 5A Football Championship Pulaski Academy vs Little Rock Chr. Academy, 2019 AAA 6A Football Championship Searcy vs Benton, 2019 AIA 5A Football Championship Campo Verde vs. Williams Field, 2019 AIA Open Football Championship Saguaro vs. Chandler, 2019 CHSAA 3A Football Championship Palmer Ridge vs. Pueblo South, 2019 CHSAA 4A Football Championship Broomfield vs. Pine Creek, 2019 CHSAA 5A Football Championship Columbine vs. Cherry Creek, 2019 CHSAA Spirit Championship Dance Prelims/Finals, 2019 CHSAA Spirit Championship Day 2 Finals, 2019 GHSA 1A Private Football Championship ELCA vs Wesleyan, 2019 GHSA 2A Football Championship Dublin vs Brooks County, 2019 GHSA 5A Football Championship Warner Robins vs Buford, 2019 LHSAA Class 2A Football Championship Many vs Ferriday, 2019 LHSAA Div III Football Championship St. Charles vs Lafayette Christian, 2019 LHSAA Div IV Football Championship P.C. Catholic vs Ouachita Christian, 2019 MHSAA 2A Football Championship Taylorsville vs Northside, 2019 MHSAA 4A Football Championship Poplarville vs Corinth, 2019 MHSAA 5A Football Championship West Point vs Picayune, 2019 MPSSAA 1A Football Championship Catoctin vs Dunbar, 2019 MPSSAA 2A Football Championship Middletown vs Potomac, 2019 NIAA 4A Football State Championship Centennial vs. Liberty, 2019 OSAA 6A Football State Championship Lake Oswego vs. Central Catholic, 2019 OSSAA 3A Football Championship Lincoln Christian vs Plainview, 2019 OSSAA 5A Football Championship Bishop McGuinness vs Carl Albert, 2019 OSSAA 6A DI Football Championship Jenks vs Owasso, 2019 PIAA 3A Football Championship Wyoming Area vs Central Valley, 2019 PIAA 6A Football Championship Central Dauphin vs St. Josephs Prep, 2019 SCHSL 3A Football Championship Chapman vs Dillon, 2019 SCHSL 4A Football Championship Wren vs Myrtle Beach, 2019 SCHSL 5A Football Championship Dorman vs Dutch Fork, 2019 TSSAA Div I 2A Football Championship Peabody vs Meigs County, 2019 TSSAA Div I 4A Football Championship Springfield vs Elizabethton, 2019 TSSAA Div I 6A Football Championship Ravenwood vs Maryville, 2019 WIAA 1A Football State Championship Lynden Christian vs. Royal, 2019 WIAA 1B Football State Championship Naselle vs. Odessa, 2019 WIAA 2A Football State Championship Steilacoom vs. Tumwater, 2019 WIAA 2B Football State Championship Kalama vs. Onalaska, 2019 WIAA 3A Football State Championship Eastside Catholic vs. O'Dea, 2019 WIAA 4A Football State Championship Bothell vs. Camas, 2019 WVSSAC A Football Championship Wheeling Central Catholic vs Doddridge County and 2019 WVSSAC AAA Football Championship Cabell Midland vs Martinsburg

Thuy NGA

12/10/19 — Released Dino Bao: Chuyen Tinh (2 disc set)

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

12/10/19 — Released Monos (Spanish) (ARR of 88 days; box office: $405,096)

01/28/20 — Sets Harriet (ARR of 88 days; box office: $40,879,520) and Parasite (Korean) (ARR of 109 days; box office: $19,348,690)

Wolfe

02/25/20 — Sets Retablo (Spanish)

Blu-ray New Additions

 

Altered Innocence

12/10/19 — Released Harvesters (Afrikaans)

Bangor Films (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Boy With the Sun in His Eyes and Once and Future Queen

Bill Zebub Productions

12/10/19 — Released Black Metal: The Ultimate Documentary

Cinedigm Entertainment

12/10/19 — Released Badland

Dark Force Entertainment, LLC

03/17/20 — Sets Freeway 2: Confessions of a Trick Baby

Dark World Pictures

12/10/19 — Released Offerings

Evil Teen Records

12/10/19 — Released Wayne Haynes Presents the Benefit Concert, Vol. 16

Film Movement

12/10/19 — Released Fritz Lang's Indian Epic (2 film set:  The Tiger of Eschnapur, The Indian Tomb) (German) (2 disc set)

FilmRise (MOD)

12/03/19 — Released Unintended

FlyingMonk Films (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Angkor: Angkor Wat, Angkor: Gems in the Jungle, Angkor: Immortal City and Angkor: Seven Headed Serpent

FUNimation

12/10/19 — Released 18if: The Complete Collection (2 disc set), Disasterous Life of Saiki K: Season 1 (2 disc set), Heavy Object: The Complete Series (4 disc set), KADO: The Right Answer (2 disc set) and Seven Mortal Sins (2 disc set)

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Along Came the Devil 2, Big Fat Lie, Colewell and Tombs

Greenwich Entertainment

12/10/19 — Released Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice

Kino Lorber

12/10/19 — Released Aces: Iron Eagle III, Blue Collar, Iceman, Nude Bomb, Play God, Stick and Terminal Velocity

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

12/10/19 — Released Cotton Club: Encore and Lucky Day (with Digital Copy)

12/17/19 — Sets Spider in the Web

Massacre Video

12/10/19 — Released Double Feature: American Rampage/Danger USA

Mill Creek Entertainment

03/03/20 — Sets The Warrant

03/17/20 — Sets Fit to Kill (with Digital Copy) and Hard Hunted (with Digital Copy)

Motion Picture Video, LLC (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Mum & Son's Chilling Adventures

Music Box Films

12/10/19 — Released Piranhas (Italian)

Naxos

12/10/19 — Released Lucas Debargue: To Music

Not So Sane Entertainment (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Blow a Kiss

12/17/19 — Sets Red Days

PCN Productions (MOD)

12/10/19 — Released Exploring Pennsylvania Boroughs: Blooming Valley, PA Books: When I was White and PCN Tours: Speckled Hen Chocolates

Pentrex

12/10/19 — Released Big Boy: Greetings from Kansas City and Southwest Big Boy

Quiver Films

12/10/19 — Released Fanatic

Scorpion Releasing

12/10/19 — Released Inside Move

Sentai FilmWorks

12/10/19 — Released Gakuen Basara: Complete Collection (2 disc set) and Seitokai Yakuindomo: Complete Collection (5 disc set)

Severin Films, LLC

12/10/19 — Released Viy (Russian)

12/31/19 — Sets Peanut Butter Solution (English dubbed)

Shout! Factory

12/10/19 — Released Abominable Snowman, Anne Bancroft Collection (8 film set: Don't Bother to Knock, The Miracle Worker, The Pumpkin Eater, The Graduate, Fatso, To Be or Not to Be, Agnes of God, 84 Charing Cross Road) (8 disc set), Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde, Fly Collection (5 film set: The Fly, Return of the Fly, Curse of the Fly, The Fly, The Fly II) (5 disc set) and Millennium Actress (Japanese) (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)

Twelfth Night

12/10/19 — Released 12th Night: A Night to Remember - Live at the Barbican, 2012

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

12/10/19 — Released Monos (Spanish)

01/28/20 — Sets Harriet (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy) and Parasite (Korean) (with Digital Copy)

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

02/11/20 — Sets Swamp Thing: The Complete Series (2 disc set) (with Digital Copy)

Well Go U.S.A.

12/10/19 — Released Freaks (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)